COUNCILLORS have voiced concerns that Okehampton could be flooded with sewage, if infrastructure improvements are not carried out before hundreds of new houses are built. Edna Hicks, West Devon Borough member for Okehampton East, said she had been contacted by members of the public with concerns that the sewage system is already feeling the strain of increased usage. Cllr Hicks said: ?People are coming to me and telling me about the horrific smells they are getting. ?It really is worrying me that we are going to be flooded with sewage. ?I feel that before they lay a brick South West Water should look at the drainage system and say if it will work.? Okehampton Mayor Cllr Tony Leech said he had heard reports of sewage problems on the new developments. ?I was told of sewage running down the main street,? he said. Cllr Leech said the latest 500-house development was currently only on hold because of issues of school capacity, but he would like to see the sewage infrastructure investigated too. He said South West Water should produce a proper report in writing on the sewers for each development. He said: ?They think they can manage because they see 500 new houses coming on board. Is this real or are they thinking of their share-holders?? But South West Water does not intend to carry out any work on the town?s main sewers, because it is confident that they will be able to cope. A spokesperson for the company said: ?South West Water is aware of all proposed developments in the Okehampton area and is confident that there is sufficient capacity within the sewerage network to cope with the extra load.? The sewers that feed into the main drains are built by the developer, not the water company. The water company then ?adopts? the system into their network and takes full control, but only if it is satisfied that that the sewers are up to standard. If not they will be rejected, and may remain in private ownership. Homeowners may then get a shock if maintenance or repair work has to be carried out, because they will be liable to pay for the work. It has been estimated that as much as half of Britain?s sewage system is privately owned in this way, prompting calls for water companies to take them over in one sweeping move. Some water companies are said to be in favour of this but South West Water opposes the plan because it says it would lead to unacceptable price hikes, and they already charge the highest water rates in the country. South West water said the sewage system for the Moorcroft development had been adopted, but no application had yet been received from Persimmon regarding De Brionne Heights.
